Ariane Le Chevallier
Jan. 25, 2022 (PORTLAND, ORE.) – The national organization Friends of the Children announced today the forthcoming establishment of a Phoenix, Ariz. chapter, a local, independent 501(c)3 that will serve children and families in the region who face multiple systemic obstacles. This newest chapter in the Friends of the Children national network signifies a bold success for the organization, which made a commitment in 2019 to scale from 18 to 25 locations by 2025.
The expansions, together with the continued growth of existing locations, means Friends of the Children will create greater impact across the country leveraging its model for prevention and intervention of foster care and the promotion of systems change. This work is critical as the COVID-19 pandemic still weighs heavy on our nation’s children—evidenced from lower math and reading rates in high-poverty schools, to the dramatic increase in mental health challenges.
“It felt audacious in 2019 to say we would expand to 25 locations by 2025. But here we are—we’ve met the challenge three years early,” said Terri Sorensen, national CEO of Friends of the Children. “This is an extraordinary milestone for Friends of the Children. We will be able to empower thousands more youth across the country to build the bright futures they deserve.”
Friends of the Children pairs children facing the greatest obstacles with paid, professional mentors who stay by each child’s side from as early as age 4 through high school graduation—12+ years, no matter what. In recent years, the organization has expanded to support caregivers through an innovative Two-Generation (2Gen) model aimed at supporting families to advance overall health and well-being.
The Friends of the Children professional mentoring model is a proven success:
- 92% of youth go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country, or enter the workforce
- 93% of youth remain free from juvenile justice system involvement
- 83% of youth earn a high school diploma or GED
- 98% of youth wait to parent until after their teen years
Read the full release at Friends of the Children.
